2015–16 Welsh Premier League

The 2015–16 Welsh Premier League (known as the Dafabet Welsh Premier League for sponsorship reasons) was the 24th season of the Welsh Premier League, the highest football league within Wales since its establishment in 1992. The New Saints were the defending champions.

Welsh Premier League
Season2015–16
ChampionsThe New Saints (10th title)
RelegatedPort Talbot Town
Haverfordwest County
Champions LeagueThe New Saints
Europa LeagueBala Town
Llandudno
Connah's Quay Nomads
Matches played180
Goals scored529 (2.94 per match)
Top goalscorer Chris Venables (20)
Biggest home winConnah's Quay Nomads 5–0 Port Talbot Town (12 December 2015)
The New Saints 5–0 Airbus UK Broughton (27 February 2016)
Rhyl 5–0 Port Talbot Town (9 April 2016)
Biggest away winNewtown 0–6 The New Saints (13 February 2016)
Longest unbeaten runThe New Saints (21)
All statistics correct as of 9 April 2016.

Teams played each other twice on a home and away basis, before the league was split into two groups at the end of January 2016 – the top six and the bottom six.

Teams
Location of the 2015-16 Welsh Premier League clubs

Cefn Druids and Prestatyn Town were relegated out of the Welsh Premier League the previous season, while Llandudno were promoted as winners of the Cymru Alliance and Haverfordwest County were promoted as winners of Welsh Football League Division One. It will be Llandudno's debut campaign in the league.

Stadia and locations
TeamLocationStadiumCapacity
Aberystwyth TownAberystwythPark Avenue5,000
Airbus UK BroughtonBroughtonThe Airfield1,600
Bala TownBalaMaes Tegid3,000
Bangor CityBangorNantporth3,000
Carmarthen TownCarmarthenRichmond Park3,000
Connah's Quay NomadsConnah's QuayDeeside Stadium1,500
Haverfordwest CountyHaverfordwestBridge Meadow Stadium2,000
LlandudnoLlandudnoPark MBi Maesdu1,013
NewtownNewtownLatham Park5,000
Port Talbot TownPort TalbotVictoria Road6,000
RhylRhylThe Corbett Sports Stadium3,000
The New SaintsOswestryPark Hall2,000

Personnel and kits
TeamHead CoachCaptainKit manufacturerShirt sponsors
Aberystwyth Ian Hughes Stuart JonesNikeCambrian Tyres
Airbus UK Andy Preece Andy JonesMacronGardner Aerospace
Bala Colin Caton Conall MurtaghJomaAykroyd's
Bangor Neville Powell Leon ClowesMacronDafydd Hardy (home) Anglesey Sea Zoo (away)
Carmarthen Mark Aizlewood Kyle BassettMacronJeff White (home) Natwest Cymru (away)
Connah's Quay Nomads Andy Morrison George HoranMacronDriving Force
Haverfordwest County David Hughes Dale GriffithsKappaWest Wales Properties.co.uk
Llandudno Alan Morgan Tom DixAdidasThe UPVC Outlet
Newtown Chris Hughes Matthew CookGivovaNEO/Elephant & Castle Hotel
Port Talbot Andy Dyer Liam McCreeshMacronBlanco's
Rhyl Gareth Owen Dean KeatesAdidasVanTruck
TNS Carl Darlington Paul HarrisonLegeaPlanetHippo

League table
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation[lower-alpha 1]
1 The New Saints (C) 32 18 10 4 72 24 +48 64 Qualification for the Champions League first qualifying round[lower-alpha 2]
2 Bala Town 32 15 12 5 48 27 +21 57 Qualification for the Europa League first qualifying round
3 Llandudno 32 15 7 10 53 46 +7 52
4 Connah's Quay Nomads (O) 32 15 3 14 50 42 +8 48 Qualification for the European competition play-offs[lower-alpha 3]
5 Newtown 32 11 9 12 46 54 −8 42
6 Airbus UK Broughton 32 12 6 14 46 55 −9 42
7 Carmarthen Town 32 14 5 13 45 52 −7 47 Qualification for the European competition play-offs[lower-alpha 3]
8 Aberystwyth Town 32 13 7 12 51 47 +4 46
9 Bangor City 32 13 6 13 49 52 −3 45
10 Port Talbot Town (R) 32 10 9 13 39 56 −17 39 Relegation to Welsh Division One[lower-alpha 4]
11 Rhyl 32 5 12 15 36 50 −14 27
12 Haverfordwest County (R) 32 5 6 21 27 57 −30 21 Relegation to Welsh Division One[lower-alpha 4]
Source: Welsh Premier League, Soccerway
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored; 4) Matches won; 5) Play-off.[2]
(C) Champion; (O) Play-off winner; (R) Relegated.
Notes:
  1. Teams played each other twice (22 matches), before the league was split into two groups (the top six and the bottom six) for the last 10 matches.
  2. The New Saints qualified for the Europa League first qualifying round by winning the 2015–16 Welsh Cup. However, since they already qualified for European competition based on their league position, the spot awarded to the cup winners was passed down the league.
  3. Teams played for a spot in the Europa League first qualifying round.
  4. Rhyl were spared from relegation as Port Talbot Town failed to obtain a FAW domestic licence.[1]

Results

Teams played each other twice on a home and away basis, before the league split into two groups – the top six and the bottom six.

Matches 1–22
Home \ Away ABE AIR BAL BAN CMR CQN HAV LND NTW PTA RHL TNS
Aberystwyth Town 1–2 1–1 4–0 1–2 1–1 1–2 1–4 1–2 1–3 3–1 0–4
Airbus UK Broughton 2–0 2–0 1–4 5–1 3–2 2–1 0–2 1–4 2–0 0–0 1–1
Bala Town 0–1 2–1 3–0 2–1 2–0 3–2 3–0 1–0 5–2 0–0 0–0
Bangor City 2–3 3–0 1–1 1–2 2–1 2–1 0–3 3–0 1–2 1–0 0–2
Carmarthen Town 0–3 2–3 0–0 2–1 1–0 4–1 2–4 0–2 0–0 1–1 1–6
Connah's Quay Nomads 1–2 1–1 2–1 1–3 4–0 2–1 2–1 0–2 5–0 3–1 2–0
Haverfordwest County 0–1 0–1 0–2 2–1 0–0 0–2 2–0 0–1 1–2 1–1 0–4
Llandudno 3–2 1–0 0–0 1–2 1–2 1–0 1–0 0–2 1–1 1–0 3–4
Newtown 0–0 0–3 2–3 0–3 4–1 4–2 3–0 0–3 1–1 1–2 2–2
Port Talbot Town 4–2 2–2 0–0 2–0 0–3 0–4 1–2 1–4 1–1 0–3 0–1
Rhyl 2–2 1–0 1–3 1–1 1–4 1–2 1–2 1–1 1–1 0–1 0–0
The New Saints 1–1 4–0 1–1 2–0 2–0 2–0 2–0 1–1 4–1 3–1 2–2
Source: Welsh Premier League
Colours: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Matches 23–32

UEFA Europa League play-offs

Teams who finished in positions fourth to seventh at the end of the regular season participated in play-offs to determine the third participant for the 2016–17 UEFA Europa League, who will qualify for the first qualifying round.[3]

Semi-finals
Newtown1–2Airbus UK Broughton
Sutton  36' Report McGinn  14' (pen.), 38' (pen.)
Attendance: 221
Referee: Lee Evans
Connah's Quay Nomads2–0Carmarthen Town
Rushton  5'
Baynes  63'		 Report
Attendance: 708
Referee: Bryn Markham-Jones

Final
Connah's Quay Nomads1–0Airbus UK Broughton
Baynes  79' Soccerway
BBC Sport
Attendance: 904
Referee: Dean John

References

The league's rules are contained as a section of the Handbook of the Football Association of Wales.[4]

  1. "FAW Club Licensing Appeals Body". welshpremier.co.uk. Retrieved 24 April 2016.
  2. "Premier League 2015/2016 - Season rules". Scoresway. Archived from the original on 30 October 2014. Retrieved 1 August 2015.
  3. http://www.welshpremier.co.uk/news/Play-Offs-rest-on-Cup-Final-Winner/103537/
  4. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-12-03. Retrieved 2015-05-05.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
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